Net-cutting attachment for submarines.



H. J. PETERSON. NET CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR SUBMARINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I9, I918.

Patented Sept. 3,1918. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 jfmyacc; J

H. l. PETERSON.

NET CUTTTNG ATTACHMENT FOR SUBIMRINES.

APPLICATION FILED- FEB. I9. 1918.

1 278,005. r Patented Sept. 3, 1918'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ala

wvwwtoz UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

HORACE J. PETERSON, F MONTPELIER, IDAHO.-

NET-CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR SUBMARINES.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

"Patented Sept. s, 1918.

Application filed. February 19, 1918. Serial No. 218,096.

extensively employed means of defense,

against submarines 1s a heavy net or plurality of nets, which are anchored close to a channel in which submarines are actlve,

which will be punctured by the bow and when so punctured will cling to the vessel so that its progress will be arrested. The efforts to free the vessel will agitate buoys connected with the upper edge of the net so that the presence of the submarine will be detected and it may be captured. To permit a vessel to free itself from such ontanglements placed by an enemy, I provide cutters which may be operated from the interior of the hull so as to cut the net and enlarge the opening through the same to such extent so that the vessel may readily pass therethrough. or withdraw therefrom. I also provide means for folding the cut ters against the sides of the hull when they are not required for use so that navigation of the vessel will be unimpeded. I also provide means for preventing'the access of water into the interiorof the vessel when.

the cutters have been disconnected so that the buoyancy of the vessel will be maintained in all conditions attending the use or non-use of the cutters.

Mechanism embodying my invention and by which the several objects of the same are attained is illustrated in the accompany-.

ing drawings in which'Figure 1 is a side elevation of a conventional form of submarine equipped with my improvements.

Fig 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, showing the manner of mounting and operating my cutter.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail sections taken respectively on the lines %4, 55, and 6-6 of Fig. 3.

The submarine is illustrated in a conven tional manner only and the particular form or detailed construction of the same forms no part of my invention. In the present drawings, I have shown the submarine equlpped with cutters at the bow and also at the stern, and, while I have shown both horizontal and vertical cutters, the particular number of cutters is immaterial and they may be arranged either vertically or horizontally or in any intermediate positions. 7

In applying my improvements to a submarine, I form a slot or opening '2 in the hull and upon the outer side of the hull, immediately adjacent said slot, I provide abracket 3 which serves as a support for the cutter frame. most clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, is composed of a pair of channel bars 4 which are arranged with their channels opposed and are provided each alongone longitudinal edge with a fiange5, bolts 6 being inserted through said flanges so as to secure the bars rigidly together as will be readily understood. The bars may be of any desired length, considered with reference to the di- The cutter frame, as shown.

mensions of the submarine, and at one end of the frame thus constructed is a lug 7 through which a pivot 8 is inserted into the bracket 3 to attach the frame to said bracket. A lug 9 is provided on the flanges 5 at a point somewhat remote from the lug 7 and an arcuate arm 10 has its outer end attached to said lug, the said arm 10 passing through the hull, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, and being provided with a medial slot 11 through which a securing bolt 12 may be inserted into a bracket 13 provided on the inner side of the hull so as to secure the said arm in any set position. A packing box 14 is procated by" dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, and. is secured in such position by tightening;

up the bolt 12 as will be understood. The

longitudinal edges of the channel bars 4 re-jv When the i v mote from the flanges 5 are constructed with equidistant guards 15 which are tapered and may have their converging edges beveled or otherwise sharpened so that'they will constitute stationaryknives. Upon refer ence to Figs. 4 and 5 more particularly,-it

will be noted that the channeled faces of the bars 4L will present a longitudinally extending chamber in which the reciprocating cutter may be mounted and by which it will be guided so that it will be firmly supported and 'ill be protected against the effect of any substances which might tend to gather on. the cutter and obstruct its successful action. The reciprocating cutter consists of a central bar 16 having tapered teeth or knives 17 formed upon one longitudinal edge and reinforcing and guiding bars 18 placed against the upper and lower faces of the central bar and rigidly secured thereto by a rivet or similar device 19, the edges of the reinforcing and guiding bars 18 engag ing the side walls of the channels in the bars 4- so that the cutter will move in a rectilinear path. It will also be noted that the teeth or knives 17 are tapered upwardly and downwardly so that the extremities thereof will be sharp points and the guards or stationary knives 15 will converge in like manner so that a true shearing action upon the net or other entanglements will be obtained. The cutter bar is provided at one or more points of its length with a longitudinal slot 20 through which a guide bolt or pin 21 is inserted and this bolt or pin also forms a stop which by contact with the ends of the slot 20 limits the movement of the cutter. The inner end of the cutter is extended, as shown at 22, to pass through the slot 2 into the hull, and this extension or tongue 22 is connected by a pitman 23 with a motor 24 mounted in any convenient or desirable manner within the hull. lVhen the cutter is in use the pitman 23 will impart a re ciprocatory motion to the movable knife and the meshes of the net will be rapidly cut through so that the opening in the net will be enlarged to an extent sutficient to permit the vessel to pass therethrough or withdraw therefrom as may be desirable. When the knife is not to be operated, the pivot bolt 25 connecting the pit-man 23 with the tongue or extension 22 is removed and by then. exerting a pull upon the inner end of the arm.10 the cutter will be swung about its pivot 8 to a position close to and longitudinally of the hull.

Upon the inner side of the hull, above and below the slot 2, I provide grooved rails or guides 26 in which is slidably mounted a valve or plate 27 which may have its outer face provided with any suitable packing material to form a water-tight joint with the inner surface of the hull. This plate is secured in a set position by bolts 28 mounted in the rails or guides 26 and adapted to bear upon the slide 27 so as to bind the same the hull and when the cutter is in 10 end edge of the slide will bear 7 he adjacent edge of the tongue 22 so as to aid in guiding said tongue 22 and also to prevent the entrance of water into the vessel, it being understood that the slot is of such dimensions that the tongue 22 will lit snugly therein although it may reciprocate easily therethrough when in action. Vi hen the cutter is not in use and is swung around close to the side of the vessel, the slide 27 is shifted so as to entirely cover the slot or opening 2 and is secured in such position by tightening the bolts 28 as will be readily understood.

It is thought the uses and advantages of my attachment will be readily understood. from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. The operative parts are all within the hull of the vessel so that they may be adjusted and operated when the vessel is submerged and it is not necessary for the adjustments to be effected prior to submerging the vessel. If it be desired to have the cutters always in operative position, the necessary adjustments can, of course, be made prior to submergence or even prior to starting the boat. The mechanism is very simple in construction and operation and possesses all the strength necessary to durability.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. The combination with a hull, of a reciprocating cutter pivotally supported upon the hull so as to project therefrom or fold alongside the same, means for securing the cutter in operative and inoperative positions, and means within the bull to be connected with the cutter to reciprocate the same when in operative position.

2. The combination with a hull having an opening t-herethrough, of a reciprocating cutter pivotally mounted upon the outer side of the hull and. adapted to extend through the opening therein or fold alongside of the hull means for securing the cutter in a set position relative to the hull, means within the hull to reciprocate the cutter, and means for closing the opening in the hull when the cutter is not in use.

3. The combination with a hull having an opening therein, of a bracket upon the outer side of the hull adjacent said opening a cutter frame pivoted to said bracket, a reciprocating cutter mounted in said frame and adapted to extend through said opening or fold alongside the hull, means for ecuring the cutter in operative and inoperative positions. and means for operating the cutter arranged within the hull and detachably connected with the cutter.

4. The combination of a hull having an opening therein, a reciprocating cutter supported upon the exterior of the hull and foldable to inoperative position alongside the hull. said cutter having a tongue extending through the opening therein when in operative position, means within the hull to be detachably connected to said tongue to operate the cutter, and a slide mounted upon the inner side of the hull to cover the opening therein and engage against said tongue.

5. The combination with a hull including a superstructure, of upper and lower reciprocating cutters disposed in a vertical plane at the bow and stern of the hull, the upper cutters being of a height greater than the height of the superstructure, horizontally disposed reciprocating cutters arranged on opposite sides of the hull at the bow and stern thereof, and means disposed within the hull and operatively connected with the cutters for reciprocating the cutters, all of said cutters being pivotally mounted on the hull and movable to inoperative position alongside of the'hull.

6. The combination with a hull, of a bracket secured to the exterior of the hull, a reciprocating cutter pivotally mounted on the bracket, a slotted segmental bar connected with the cutter and extended through an opening in the hull, means disposed within the hull for reciprocating the cutter, and a clamping device arranged within the hull and extending through the slot in the segmental bar for holding the cutter in different set positions with respect to the hull.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

HORACE J. PETERSON. [L.S.]

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

